Ballot-voting machine.



P. BROWN & A. SENEZ.

BALLOT VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26, 1910.

1,087,720. Patented Feb 17,1914.

O 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. aiiyi g0 Flara Brozuzz, 1712112" 361285- COLUMBIA PMNOURAPH CO.,WASHINGTON, D. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FLORA BROWN AND ARTHUR SENEZ, 0F MARKHAM, TEXAS.

BALLOT-VOTING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, FLORA Brown and ARTHUR SENEZ, citizens of the United States, residing at Markham, in the county of Matagorda and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Voting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to voting machines and the object of the invention is the provision of a simple, cheaply constructed and eflicient machine which Will record and indicate the number of votes deposited and which will automatically close the receptacle door after a ballot has been deposited and the vote counted.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the specific description which follows is read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation with a portion of the casing removed. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4; is a detail side elevation showing the construction of the winding gears. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing the arrangement of the spring supplying drum.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 represents a casing upon which is hinged a cover or top 2 having an aperture 3 covered by a transparent member 4. The cover has a suitable space 6 in which cards may be mounted showing the names of the different candidates.

J ournaled in suitable bearings 7 mounted on the inside of the casing is a shaft 8 upon which the receiving drum 9 is mounted and directly opposite the shaft 8 in the opposite end of the casing is journaled a shaft 10 upon which the supplying drum 11 is journaled. Wound around the drum 11 is a counting tape 12 which may be provided with a plurality of numbers indicating the number of votes cast. This web or tape is supported beneath the glass covered opening 3 by a bracket 13 which permits the web to slide therethrough. The opposite end of the web is connected Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 26, 1910.

Patented Feb. 1'7, 1914.

Serial No. 557,785.

with the drum 9 so as to be wound thereupon at each operation of the device.

Secured to the shaft 8 is a relatively large gear 14 which meshes with a pinion 15 journaled in a standard 16 carried by the casing. The pinion 15 is rotated by a ratchet crank 17 connected to the lower end of an operating pitman 18 by a link 19. This pitman is sliclably mounted in bearings carried by the top of the casing and is supported upon the free end of a leaf spring 20 pivoted upon the bottom of the casing 1. The upper end of the pit-man 18 is provided with a thumb button or operating handle 21 by which the rod may be depressed against the action of the spring 20 and thus pull upon the link 19 to operate the ratchet crank 17 and turn the pulley 15. This operation results in the rotating of the drum 9 in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 1 and bringing a new number into view through the glass covered opening 13.

Connected to the pitman 18 intermediate its length is a link 22 whose opposite end is connected to a door 23 on the upper end of a ballot chute 24 which extends down diagonally through the casing and is connected at its lower end to the opposite side of the casing. A suitable door 25 hinged to the side of the casing closes the lower end of the chute and supports the ballots within the chute until it is desired to remove them. When the pitman 18 is operated to wind the tape or web 12 on the drum 9 the door 23 is also operated so as to open the chute and permit the insertion of a ballot. The spring 20 automatically closes the door 23 and returns the crank 17 to operative position, thus placing the device in condition for subsequent operation and preventing the succeeding voters from seeing the ballots which have been placed in the chute.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- In combination a standard, a shaft mounted in said standard, a wheel fixed on said shaft, a ratchet Wheel on said shaft, a pawl crank on said shaft, a relatively long rod, a leaf spring mounted adjacent said standard, and having a deflected portion disposed at an upward slant, a link connect In testimony whereof we aflix our signalng sald crank and the free end of said leaf tures 1n presence of two witnesses.

spring, said rod being secured at one end FLORA BROWN.

to the free end of said spring, a guide for ARTHUR SENEZ. 5 said rod, and a button on the projecting Witnesses:

end of said rod, said rod, when depressed, GEO. R. BURKE,

actuating said pawl-crank. T. J. VALKER.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

